Long-serving employees and young talents share their experiences

Let’s start with the youngest member of staff here: Legolas. Why did you choose Nordmann as an employer?

Legolas: Because of the dual study program. I first came into contact with Nordmann employees at the Stuzubi education expo in Hamburg. They told me about the company and I decided to apply. My father is a sales manager in a medium-sized company, and I had already talked to him a lot about sales – so that sparked my interest in working for a company that also has jobs in sales. What I think is especially great is that Nordmann is a family business that also offers international opportunities.

Kerstin: What was it like for you in 1978 when you applied to work at Nordmann?

Kerstin: At the time, I applied for a trainee position in wholesale and foreign trade. Because I was so nervous at the interview, I felt like I answered every question wrong. I thought to myself: “You blew it, Kerstin – they’ll never take you”. But then the HR manager got back to me soon after, asking: “So, what do you say? Want to come work for us?” I was so happy and relieved that I accepted right away! In this family business, the attitude of other colleagues and the management has always been one of “we trust you, you did your training here with us”. That’s special, and the fundamental sense of trust and belonging I’ve been given here hasn’t wavered to this day – that’s why I’ve never moved to another company and have been with Nordmann my entire professional life.

What was a key moment for you at Nordmann?

Bernd: One was during my initial probationary period when I was asked to go see Georg Nordmann. He was like royalty in the building, the representative par excellence who was on the active management team until 1984. I went into his office, extremely anxious. Mr. Nordmann spent one and a half hours giving me a deeper understanding of the Nordmann company, along with a lot of his personal insight. That was special, and I felt very honored and appreciated. I hadn’t experienced anything like that before in other companies. To this day, despite all the great success the company has had, the family has always remained “human” and sincere. There’s not a member of the family who isn’t. No one thinks they’re better than anyone else, and their warmth and humanity always resonate. I really like that about them!

Kerstin: At the beginning of the 90s, I decided to start taking evening and weekend classes for a business degree. I was a single parent with a five-year-old child, still working my full-time job at Nordmann. I didn’t know if I’d be able to finish, so I didn’t tell anyone at the company about it – but in the end, I got my degree. The final exam was on the day of the company Christmas party. Former CEO Edgar E. Nordmann gave a nice speech and said, “I have something great to share with everyone: you can all congratulate Kerstin Schröder on passing her exams in business administration.” I was in total shock that he had known about what I had managed to accomplish! I was also phenomenally proud.

Kerstin, you’ve held positions in many different departments at Nordmann, including Elastomers, IT and Finance & Controlling. What advice would you give to young employees?

Kerstin: You have to work hard, be goal-oriented and show that you put thought into things. You’ll definitely be challenged here and won’t get bored – but if you only show up to earn a salary, you’re not in the right place. If, on the other hand, you come to contribute ideas and look for solutions to problems, working at Nordmann is really fun. You’ll also get recognition for what you do.

Do you see things the same way, Bernd?

Bernd: I couldn’t agree more, and the only thing I can add is that if you don’t “steal the silver”, you’ll have a long future here!

Legolas: How do you see Nordmann as an employer? Do you think the company is moving forward with the times?

Legolas: It’s a traditional company that is in the process of modernization – through new software, rebranding itself, growing its subsidiaries or establishing new ones (most recently in Benelux, for example), changing other work procedures to the point of a new dress code, etc. We also now have the chance to work remotely, and I like that. Nordmann is absolutely evolving toward a new and digitalized future.

Do you Nordmann trainees really bring in a “fresh, youthful air” to everyday office life? Is it easy to get your foot in the door on things?

Absolutely, that’s even demanded of us! We’re asked to speak up if we have any ideas for improvement or for projects, certain operational procedures, etc. We’re also allowed to work very independently, which I think is good. There’s an atmosphere of “go ahead, have at it”, allowing me to try out different ideas with an open mind. That pays off in the end.

As an HSV fan, Bernd, are you among like-minded soccer fans at head office?

Bernd: Let’s put it this way: here in Hamburg, we have a few fans of other clubs which I – as an HSV fan – find sometimes more and sometimes less agreeable! But it’s like other things in life: competition is good for business and makes everything all the more exciting.